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spaminator

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Winnipeg couple get 12 years for killing and torturing animals
Judge sentenced Irene Lima, 56, and Chad Kabecz, 41, to 12 years in prison after they pleaded guilty last November

Author of the article:Spiro Papuckoski
Published Feb 17, 2026 • 2 minute read

Winnipeg police
A Winnipeg Police Service vehicle. Photo by file /Postmedia Network
A Winnipeg couple responsible for the sickening deaths and torture of more than 90 animals received the harshest animal cruelty sentence in Canadian history.


Last week, a judge sentenced both Irene Lima, 56, and Chad Kabecz, 41, to 12 years in prison after they each pleaded guilty last November to six charges of animal cruelty.


Justice Jeffrey Harris also handed Lima and Kabecz lifetime bans on owning, possessing or being near animals.

“I cannot begin to perceive the suffering,” Harris said during sentencing, reports CTV News.

In delivering the sentence, the judge read from the Winnipeg Humane Society’s community impact statement, which documented some of the trauma experienced by staff who fielded calls from the public which included horrific details of animal abuse.

“The impact of animal cruelty cases causes ripples,” the animal shelter said in a statement share to social media.

“It touches animal rescues, pet owners, and every person in Winnipeg who believes animals deserve protection and compassion.”

The shelter said its impact statement outlined the collective hurt experienced by the horrific acts of animal cruelty.


“As an organization that advocates for those without a voice, we recognize there were more to be heard beyond the victims,” they shared.

CONTENT WARNING: DISTURBING DETAILS
The pair was arrested in October 2024 after Winnipeg Police received a report from Manitoba’s Veterinarian Animal Welfare office two months earlier about videos and photographs of animals being killed and tortured. Police said the content was posted on the dark web.

They were charged with several offences including killing or injuring animals and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

However, upon further investigation, police said an analysis of the electronic devices seized during a search warrant uncovered hundreds of videos and photographs, and thousands of encrypted communications between the duo.


Underground network
Investigators determined that the couple set up an underground black-market network in June 2024 that required new members to submit a video of themselves killing an animal to gain entry.


According to police, more than 75 animals were filmed or photographed being tortured, crushed and killed between May 20, 2024 and Oct. 7, 2024.

In addition, investigators discovered several images of child pornography had been accessed on a device belonging to Lima and Kabecz.

The pair was re-arrested in November 2024 and charged with accessing child pornography, make, print, publish or possess child pornography, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, four counts of bestiality, and six counts each of killing or injuring animals and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

Police said the investigation, dubbed Project Artemis, went beyond Canada’s borders and reached several other countries. Law enforcement agencies in those countries pursued their own investigations.

Emerging threat
“While animal cruelty is illegal in Canada, our laws still fail to adequately address the possession and distribution of animal torture content, material increasingly linked to violent online extremism that targets vulnerable youth,” Humane Canada said in an online statement after the sentence was handed down.

The non-profit animal welfare organization said it will be urging the federal government to address the emerging threat of animal cruelty networks by passing Bill C-16 to “ensure these acts, and the exploitation behind them, face meaningful consequences.”
 

Dixie Cup

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12 years? For animal cruelty. WOW!! And what do people get when they harm other people? (Not that I condone animal cruelty because I don't) Just curious...
 
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Taxslave2

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Aug 13, 2022
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12 years? For animal cruelty. WOW!! And what do people get when they harm other people? (Not that I condone animal cruelty because I don't) Just curious...
Depends on it they are white and a citizen, or an illegal alien. Illegals get to skate free because a realsentence might jeprodize their citizenship applications.
 
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spaminator

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Six women, including two sisters, among victims of California avalanche
'Uncovering people who are deceased, that they know and probably cared about, is just horrible'

Author of the article:Denette Wilford
Published Feb 20, 2026 • Last updated 22 hours ago • 2 minute read

Kate Vitt, one of the victims of California’s deadliest avalanche on Feb. 17, 2026.
Kate Vitt, one of the victims of California’s deadliest avalanche on Feb. 17, 2026. LinkedIn
Six of the victims in Tuesday’s tragic avalanche in Sierra Nevada, Calif., were part of a tight group of moms who were experienced backcountry skiers and regularly travelled together.


The families of Carrie Atkin, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Kate Vitt, and sisters Caroline Sekar and Liz Clabaugh released a joint statement about their loved ones.


“We are devastated beyond words,” the families said, asking for privacy as they grieve.

“Our focus right now is supporting our children through this incredible tragedy and honouring the lives of these extraordinary women.”

All six were described as “mothers, wives and friends, all of whom connected through the love of the outdoors.”

Carrie Atkin, one of the victims of California’s deadliest avalanche on Feb. 17, 2026.
Carrie Atkin, one of the victims of California’s deadliest avalanche on Feb. 17, 2026. (LinkedIn) LinkedIn
Two other friends from the group survived and were rescued along with four others, including a guide.

The names of the other victims have not yet been released.

Crews hope to resume efforts Friday to recover the bodies of the eight people killed and one still unaccounted for after days of dangerous weather that has hampered safe access to the area near Lake Tahoe.


Survivors tried to ‘unbury’ their friends
Nevada County Undersheriff Sam Brown told CBS News on Thursday that when the avalanche hit, the skiers “went into, I think, frantic mode of trying to find their friends and partners. And they were ultimately able to unbury three individuals who did not survive.”

Brown noted that the 15 skiers were returning from a three-day guided backcountry trip when they were overcome by eight feet of snow and 145 km/h winds.

“Uncovering people who are deceased, that they know and probably cared about, is just horrible,” Brown added.

This image provided by the Nevada County Sheriff's Office shows members of a rescue team in Soda Springs, Calif., on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.
This image provided by the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office shows members of a rescue team in Soda Springs, Calif., on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. Photo by Nevada County Sheriff's Office /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fully prepared and equipped
The group of women, most of whom lived near California, were reportedly well-trained, fully prepared skiers, and equipped with avalanche safety gear.


“They were passionate, skilled skiers who cherished time together in the mountains,” the families’ detailed in their statement.

“They lived in the Bay Area, Idaho, and the Truckee-Tahoe region.”

McAlister Clabaugh, the brother of Sekar and Clabaugh, told the New York Times that Sekar, 45, was a mother of two who lived in San Francisco.

Caroline Sekar, one of the victims of California’s deadliest avalanche on Feb. 17, 2026.
Caroline Sekar, one of the victims of California’s deadliest avalanche on Feb. 17, 2026. (Facebook) Facebook
Clabaugh, 52, worked as a graduate nurse residency program coordinator at St. Luke’s Health System in Boise, Idaho, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Vitt also lived in San Francisco and had previously worked at SiriusXM and Pandora, according to her LinkedIn page. The Kentfield School District told families in an email on Wednesday that her sons “are safe and are with their father, Geoff, as they navigate this profound loss,” the Times reported.

Atkin lived in Lake Tahoe with her husband and two children and was a former corporate executive and Division I track and field athlete, according to her leadership coaching website.

Authorities are trying to determine why the group continued on its trip when an avalanche watch was issued for the region on Sunday, two days before the avalanche happened.

The Feb. 17 avalanche near Castle Peak, north of the Boreal Mountain Ski Resort, is now the deadliest in California’s history.

It is also the second deadly slide there this year, after one person on a snowmobile was buried in last month.
 
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spaminator

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Crews recover bodies of 9 backcountry skiers days after California avalanche
Recovery efforts had been put on hold for several days because of heavy snow and threat of more avalanches

Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Godofredo Vasquez And Safiyah Riddle
Published Feb 21, 2026 • Last updated 17 hours ago • 4 minute read

A U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter takes off from the Truckee Tahoe Airport as recovery efforts for a group of missing skiers continue, in Truckee, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.
A U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter takes off from the Truckee Tahoe Airport as recovery efforts for a group of missing skiers continue, in Truckee, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Photo by Godofredo A. Vásquez /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TRUCKEE, Calif. — Crews recovered the bodies of nine backcountry skiers who were killed by an avalanche in California’s Sierra Nevada, authorities said Saturday, concluding a harrowing operation that was hindered by intense snowfall.


A search team reached the bodies of eight victims and found one other who had been missing and presumed dead since Tuesday’s avalanche on Castle Peak near Lake Tahoe. The ninth person who was missing was found “relatively close” to the other victims, according to Nevada County Sheriff’s Lt. Dennis Hack, but was impossible to see due to whiteout conditions at that time.


At a news conference, Sheriff Shannon Moon praised the collective efforts of the numerous agencies that helped recover the bodies — from the California Highway Patrol to the National Guard to the Pacific Gas & Electric utility company — and 42 volunteers who helped on the last day of the operation.

“We are fortunate in this mountain community that we are very tight-knit, and our community shows up in times of tragedy,” Moon said.


Victims named
The sheriff named for the first time the three guides from Blackbird Mountain Company who died: Andrew Alissandratos, 34, Nicole Choo, 42, and Michael Henry, 30.

According to biographies on the company’s website, Alissandratos was originally from Tampa, Florida, and moved to Tahoe roughly a decade ago. He enjoyed a wide array of adventure activities, from backcountry exploration to rock climbing.

Henry moved to Colorado in 2016 and then to Truckee three years later. He was described as “laid back” and devoted to sharing his knowledge and love of the mountains with others.

There was no bio for Choo on the website.


“This was an enormous tragedy, and the saddest event our team has ever experienced,” Blackbird Mountain founder Zeb Blais said Wednesday in a statement.

“We are doing what we can to support the families who lost so much,” he said, “and the members of our team who lost treasured friends and colleagues.”

The six other fatal victims were women who were part of a close-knit group of friends who were experienced backcountry skiers and knew how to navigate the Sierra Nevada wilderness, their families said this week.

They were identified as Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar and Kate Vitt, all in their 40s. They lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, Idaho and the Lake Tahoe area.

“We are devastated beyond words,” the families said in a statement. “Our focus right now is supporting our children through this incredible tragedy and honoring the lives of these extraordinary women. They were all mothers, wives and friends, all of whom connected through the love of the outdoors.”


The families asked for privacy while they grieve and added that they “have many unanswered questions.”

Two of the friends got out alive and were rescued along with four others, including one guide, after Tuesday’s avalanche. Their names have not been released.

Stuck on the mountain for hours
The avalanche struck on the last day of the 15 skiers’ three-day tour, when the group decided to end the trip early to avoid the impending snowstorm. Officials have said the path they took is a “normally traveled route” but declined to specify what that meant.

At around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, the six survivors called for help, describing a sudden and terrifying slide that was approximately the length of a football field. In the aftermath they discovered the bodies of three fellow skiers, according to Hack.


Rescuer were not able to reach them until roughly six hours after the initial call for help, Hack said, and took two separate paths to arrive. They found five other bodies, leaving only one person unaccounted for.

But it was immediately clear to rescuers that it was too dangerous to extract the bodies at that time due to the heavy snowfall and threat of more avalanches. Those conditions persisted on Wednesday and Thursday.

A breakthrough on Friday
Authorities used two California Highway Patrol helicopters, with the help of Pacific Gas & Electric Company, to break up the snow and intentionally release unstable snowpack to reduce the avalanche risk.

Crews were then able to recover five victims that evening before it got too dark to access the last three.


Rescuers used helicopters and ropes to hoist the last four bodies from the mountain the following morning, fighting through severe winds that forced them to make multiple trips. The bodies were then taken to snowcats — trucks that are outfitted to drive on snow — for further transport.

“We cannot say enough how tremendously sorry we are for the families that have been affected by this avalanche,” Moon said.

Initial reports indicated that at least two of the surviving skiers were not swept away by the avalanche, Hack said. The others were standing separately and relatively close together and were hit.

Hack declined to offer information about what might have set off the avalanche.

Authorities close the area
The terrain will be off-limits to visitors until mid-March, said Chris Feutrier, forest supervisor for the Tahoe National Forest. Officials intended to restore public access once the investigation is complete.

“This is the public’s land, and they love to recreate on it,” Feutrier said. “The Forest Service doesn’t close public land for every hazard or every obstacle. We trust the American people to use their best judgment when recreating.”
 

spaminator

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Savannah Guthrie acknowledges mom Nancy 'may already be gone' as family offers $1M reward
Investigators believe Nancy, 84, was abducted in the early morning hours of Feb. 1, after failing to show up at a friend’s home

Author of the article:Denette Wilford
Published Feb 24, 2026 • Last updated 15 hours ago • 2 minute read

An image of Savannah Guthrie and her mother Nancy posted to the Today show host's Instagram.
An image of Savannah Guthrie and her mother Nancy posted to the Today show host's Instagram.
Nancy Guthrie’s family, including Today co-anchor daughter Savannah Guthrie, are offering an additional reward of up to $1 million for any information leading to the whereabouts of their mother.


Savannah shared a new video on Instagram on Tuesday, expressing hope that her mother will be found — but also acknowledged that she “may be lost.”


Investigators believe Nancy, 84, was abducted in the early morning hours of Feb. 1, after failing to show up at a friend’s home in Tucson, Arizona, to watch a livestreamed church service.


A visibly emotional Savannah urged people to continue to keep her mother in their thoughts.

“Please keep praying without ceasing,” she said. “We still believe. We still believe in a miracle. We still believe that she can come home, hope against hope, as my sister says. We are blowing on the embers of hope.”

She added: “We also know that she may be lost. She may already be gone. She may have already gone home to the Lord that she loves.”



The Guthrie family also plans to donate $500,000 to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.


“We are hoping that the attention that has been given to our mom and our family will extend to all the families like ours who are in need and need prayers and need support,” Savannah noted.

“We know there are millions of families that have suffered with this kind of uncertainty.”

The FBI is also offering a $100,000 reward, and in a post on X, urged anyone with “firsthand knowledge” of Guthrie’s whereabouts should contact the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).



Authorities have not identified a suspect in the case, despite the FBI releasing doorbell camera images and videos of an armed and masked man outside Nancy’s house on the morning she disappeared.

Savannah and her siblings Annie and Camron have posted several Instagram videos since their mother went missing.

In some of the videos, the family has made direct appeals to their mother’s possible captor.

“Someone out there knows something that can bring her home,” Savannah pleaded in the video. “Somebody knows, and we are begging you to please come forward now.”